Ignac Neubauer with his niece Erika and her husband Grigoriy Goldman

This is me with my niece Erika (my sister Hermina Spiegel's daughter and her husband Grisha Goldman  photographed in a photo shop in commemoration of my visit to Israel in 1985.

My sister Hermina married Ernest Spiegel from Subcarpathia in 1950. In 1951 Yudita, my sister's first daughter, was born and in 1958  - her second daughter Erika. When in the 1970s Jews began to move to Israel, my relatives also decided to emigrate. My mother and stepfather were the first to go in 1971. In 1972 my sister Hermina and her family moved to Qiryat Ono. I was eager to go to Israel, but my wife was against emigration. Her sisters supported her. They lived their lives in the USSR and were patriots of their country.  I didn't have much choice: emigration or the family and I chose the family. 

In 1989 I spent four months in Israel. I visited the graves of my mother, my sister and uncle Mendl and recited the Kaddish. I have many relatives, friends and acquaintances in Israel and I was happy to see them. Of course, Israel is a wonderful country.  I admired patriotism of its people. They love their country and are proud of it. Service in the army of Israel is not a burdensome necessity that they try to avoid, but an honorary right of an individual. I spoke to young people and they are proud of the possibility to serve in the army and defend their country. Hermina’s older daughter Yudita has two children: son Elan, born in 1977, and daughter Mikhalka, born in 1980. My younger niece Erika has three sons: Galiz, born in 1977, Afir, born in 1982, and Cham, born in 1985. I traveled across the country and they wanted to show me the most interesting places. I was sorry to leave Israel, but I understood that at my age it was too late to move to Israel to start a new life. I keep in touch with my relatives in Israel. My niece has been here several times and my children traveled to Israel.